Suddenly, Chester felt as if someone was looking at him. He turned around and sighted Hanson among
the crowd. They looked at each other as a playful smile both formed on their lips. After which, they
raised their glasses of wine to each other, their smile just growing and growing. Both of them downed
the glass in one gulp and started to walk towards one another.
"Chester, long time no see!" Hanson greeted him with a smile. "Our master's been in poor health lately
but he still keeps talking about you."
"Is that so?"
Chester smiled. "So what are you doing here if our master is sick? Won't he get mad?"
"Even you're not afraid, why should I be?" Hanson sad lightly. "He's banned me for twenty years. The
earlier he dies, the earlier I'll be free."
"How can you be so detached? Our master loves you!"
"He loves me just as much as he loves you," Hanson said slowly. "Otherwise, why would he make a
rule tailor-made for you and me?"
"Haha!" Chester guffawed, "Hanson, it seems that we've both been waiting for this day for a long time."
Hanson nodded. Then the smile on his face started to fade away as he spoke slowly, emphasizing
each word, "Yes, Chester, I believe we've waited far too long."
"Since you've both waited long enough and the table is already ready, why don't you start the game
now?"
a cold voice suddenly interrupted them. Neither Hanson nor Chester turned to see who was interrupting
them. Instead, they were staring each other down. When the God of Gambling accepted them as
disciples, the first thing he had ever told them was that there was no room for mutual affection in
gambling. There could be only one winner, one loser, and absolutely no place for sympathy.
"I want it to be a closed game, please," Chester said slowly.
Hanson didn't respond to him and just kept staring into his eyes. He looked at Brian who hadn't said a
word yet too, "Mr. Brian Long, I agree. Closed game, please."
Throughout this whole conversation, Brian's face remained expressionless—he didn't even flinch. He
looked at Chester briefly. When the atmosphere had started to tighten a little bit, he opened his thin lips
and spoke slowly, "If that's what you both want, then why not ?"
Hanson smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Brian Long!"
Brian looked at Aaron and said indifferently, "Give them a room." Brian was already on his way out
when he stopped in his tracks and turned around, looked at Hanson, and said, "Hanson, I don't care
whether you win or lose. You're betting on your own either way so it doesn't matter but I suggest you
come out here whole and alive and see for yourself what I have in store for you."
Brian didn't wait for Hanson to respond before he turned around once more and left with Molly. Hanson
blinked as he watched Brian walk away. "Ken, take them to that room," Aaron ordered. After a pause,
he added, "Turn off all cameras and tell the staff they're on a break for the meantime."
"Yes, your highness!"
Ken answered. Then he looked at Hanson and Chester and said, "Please follow me."
Aaron and Ximena stared at Hanson and Chester when they left. While Hanson and Chester headed to
the room, they discussed the stakes casually.
"Chester, what should we play for? I don't want this to be boring, you got that?"
"Hanson, just because everything you do has some thrill to it doesn't mean that's going to make you
happy."
"Hmm? Is that true? Not for me. Every time the stakes are interesting, I'd be more likely to win."
Chester smiled and said, "You want me to retire. Fine then, that's what I'm putting up as my stake."
"Chester, it's like you can read my mind," Hanson paused. "Then what about my stake?"
Chester glanced at Hanson who was deep in thought and spoke slowly, "If you lose, you quit. You stop
being a disciple and you leave our master."
"Wow! That's such a big bet!"
"Are you backing out?"
"Are you kidding? How the hell are you accusing me of being scared? "
"Oh, I almost forgot to ask, what does it feel like to be beaten by Mr. Brian?"
"Not so bad. I saw the double-hit trick with my own eyes—something I'd only heard from our master
before. Rumors say that he once lost a roulette game to Mr. Brian's father before, is that true?"
"I don't know. They didn't have an agreement about the result of that game but it was definitely closed.
Some say our master lost, some say Mr. Long did, while some say it was a tie. Who knows? I mean,
they obviously lost a lot at that game."
"..."
They stopped talking once they entered the room where there were no cameras, no audience, and not
even a dealer inside. No one was inside the room except for Hanson and Chester.
Back at the hotel, people were still enjoying the party. Brian and Aaron were chatting by the pool while
Molly and Ximena were doing some flower arrangement at the garden in front, as a way of killing time,
while their partners dealt business.
"Aren't you afraid of them at all?" Aaron asked. Chester's always been crooked and he obviously
wanted more than just to play against Hanson. Aaron feared that Chester was being backed by
someone powerful.
Brian withdrew his gaze from the garden house when he heard Aaron ask him the question. He
answered flatly, "Hanson refuses to work for me unless he gets what he wants." When Aaron raised his
eyebrows, Brian explained, "I don't know much about Chester but I do know that it's difficult to get him
under control. In this case, I'm going to find someone to cause trouble for him so even if I can't get rid
of him completely, at least he's out of my sight."
A faint smile played on Aaron's lips when he heard this—he suddenly understood what Brian meant
when he was talking about Hanson.
Hanson had used to be a beggar until the God of Gambling had adopted him. Eventually, he started
getting more and more money until he got to where he was today. However, he still longed for one thing
and that was someone to care for him, out of respect.
Aaron chuckled lightly. He had always admired Brian not just for his capability but also how well he
could manipulate others.
"Aren't you afraid that Hanson might lose?" Aaron asked. "If Chester wins, I fear that might be a lot of
trouble."
"Even if Hanson loses, he's still there, isn't he?" Brian answered in a low voice.
Aaron lowered his eyes with a smile. He understood what Brian meant and shifted to another topic of
conversation.
As time passed by, the party eventually drew to an end. Brian and Aaron were discussing the
development of QY Island when Brian suddenly stopped talking. His eyes were directed at the garden
house where Molly and Ximena could be sighted laughing.
Aaron turned his gaze to the garden house too—he scowled when he saw Ximena.
While the two men looked over to the garden house, Ken and Tony approached them. Ken said, "Your
highness, Mr. Brian, the game is over."
The two men withdrew their sight and looked at Ken. Aaron asked him, "Who won
?"
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